From global celebrities to micro influencers, the world of talent marketing has evolved over these social media-centric years. In some ways, the work remains the same: pairing the right talent with synergistic brand opportunities. There are some unique considerations now, though, with social media playing a role and consumer audiences becoming more discerning than ever. We spoke with a few pros in the talent marketing space to learn how their teams are navigating the industry today, and the role PR plays in their success.
Mixing talent marketing and PR
Superjuice founder Maggie Gallant, for one, taps her talent agency background to boost her PR and marketing clients’ campaigns. “It is at the core of a talent agency to make things happen. Instead of a gatekeeper mentality of saying no all day, they work to make their client’s dreams a reality – whether it’s the creation of a production company, selling the rights to their life story or directing,” she shares. “We founded what has now become Superjuice out of APA, making APA the first talent agency to consider that PR is another facet of representation.”
Donald Glover, Genexa, Superjuice
Bringing the power of great PR into the mix has been fruitful for the agency’s clients, which include Hulu, HGTV, Fremantle, Dylan’s Candy Bar and more. The team’s communications expertise is beneficial to the talent side as well. “We make ourselves available to APA clients who need a PR consult. That could be a recommendation for a personal publicist or jumping on the phone when there’s a crisis that could affect their public image,” she continues.
Overall, the agency’s connection to APA and their entertainment industry intel gives Superjuice clients an advantage. “The brands on our roster want to be a major part of the zeitgeist and connecting with pop culture is a major part of that,” says Gallant. “We hear about shows, concert tours and films, etc. before the news is out, so we can identify unique opportunities for partnerships with brands, celebrities and influencers.”
Taking an authentic approach
As we’ve all seen, consumers are quick to call brands out for missteps, whether it’s performative activism or greenwashing. The onus is on talent marketers to help brands make smart moves that mean something, which is a focus for the team at The Lede Company. “Talent marketing has evolved very much as of late, especially given the pandemic; consumers are far more perceptive than ever and gravitate toward brands and influential individuals that share their values,” says Christine Su, Co-CEO and partner at The Lede Company.
Rihanna | Photo: Jason Kempin
“When we develop our strategic approach to talent alignment for our brand clients here at The Lede Company, we focus on three different pillars: purpose/authenticity, strategic reach and omnichannel integration,” she continues. “We apply multiple lenses to how we determine a talent or influencer is aligned with a brand’s message, ultimately, we want to ensure that the talent doesn’t just have millions of followers, but also amplifies a brand’s values and mission through their own platforms – that they stand for the same things. As well, we look at talent and influencers as partners, we lean into their creativity and their passions to ensure the partnerships are authentic and connect to culture.”
At the end of the day, brands have a bottom line, so these authentic partnerships must reach the right audiences to ultimately move the needle. “We like to drill down with our clients on key demographics they want to reach to ensure that while we may be working with an of-the-moment talent, they are actually speaking to the demographic we need them to,” says Su. “This is where analytics tools come in to help us make informed decisions that help drive ROI.”
One industry shift we’ve continuously heard about over the last few years – from both the brand and influencer POVs – is that longer-term partnerships prove to be more successful than one-off campaigns. “To really break through and develop impactful partnerships we always recommend 360 partnerships, where possible, that live beyond just a photoshoot or Instagram post or appearance,” says Su. “We feel it’s extremely important to drive both authenticity and ROI that talent/influencers are included across all brand touchpoints: events, press interviews, CSR initiatives, etc.”
Thinking outside the box
It may be tempting for brands and marketers to go for the globally recognized celebrity that feels like a great fit: similar values, etc. But, Ali Grant, founder of Be Social Group, points out how working with niche talent can be even more effective. “Never underestimate the power of micro creators,” she says.
@theresadacio, Be Social Group
She continues, “They're small, but very mighty. They have a loyal, engaged following who trusts what they say and do because they have built one on one engagement. Gen Z consumers have major BS radars when it comes to brands pushing products, so activating with authentic, real creators at the micro level is a great route. Micro creators are more affordable to activate with so it allows brands to build partnerships at scale and hit various audiences.”
The bottom line
When it comes to talent marketing, the best in the biz are harnessing entertainment industry intel, as well as PR know-how, to create successful brand campaigns. Finding the right fit for your opportunity may not be as obvious as you might think, and taking a deeper dive into the talent pool could reveal creators that move the needle without needing that verified checkmark.
